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Pennsylvania Bicycle Safety Essential as Weather Warms

As the weather warms up in Pennsylvania, more people will be riding bicycles
for recreation, exercise or for commuting. Bicycle safety is a big issue
in the spring and summer, which is why the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has declared May to be
National Bike Safety Month.

Both bicyclists and drivers are encouraged to make the time this May to
review safety tips in order to reduce the risk of collisions.

Bicyclists should heed the following safety precautions:

Inspect your bicycle before riding

Always wear a helmet

Respect and follow all the rules of the road

Use hand and arm signals, and make eye contact with drivers before making a turn

Wear clothing designed to encourage visibility and put reflectors on your
bicycle so that drivers will be able to see you better

Drivers should pay attention to the following safety tips:

Stay out of bicycle lanes and respect the rights of bicyclists on the road

Leave at least four feet between your car and a bike

Check carefully for bicycle riders before trying to pass or turn

Yield the right-of-way when it is a bicycle rider’s turn to go

Avoid operating your vehicle while distracted or impaired

These tips should be followed not just during bike safety month but throughout
the year. A
2012 survey of national attitudes on bicycle riding showed that many people ride regularly
during the summers and that some have had bad experiences because of drivers.

Around 22 percent of more than 7,000 people surveyed by the NTHSA said
that they rode their bicycles regularly. Of the people who ride, 51 percent
said that they are on their bikes at least one time each week during the
summer. Among these riders, 12 percent admitted to fearing for their personal
safety because of motor vehicles. Most of the bikers who expressed fear
said that they had been worried about drivers who were going too fast
or because of drivers who got too close to them. A total of 83 percent
of bicycle riders who worried about their safety attributed their fears
to drivers of passenger cars and trucks.

Both bicycle riders and drivers have a duty to be aware of bicycle safety,
especially when cyclists start making an appearance in higher numbers
during the first warm days of the year. Bicyclists and motorists can share
the road safely by maintaining mutual respect for each other and following
the rules of the road.

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